Latest News Articles by Roland Arkell
The bell tolls for two prize silver porkers
13 January 2020Edwardian silver table bells modelled as tortoises are not too hard to find but silver pigs are a much rarer beast. Accordingly, it was surprising to see two appear on two successive days at winter sales.
Medieval drinking vessel takes £4400 at Mitchells
13 January 2020Originally medieval drinking vessels, wassail bowls became highly decorative status symbols by the 19th century as this large silver-mounted walnut example shows.
Remarkable mustard pots from Shennan collection turn heads at Evesham sale
13 January 2020The sale at Kingham & Orme (20% buyer’s premium) in Evesham on December 6-7 included the second instalment of the remarkable Shennan collection of silver mustard pots, this time featuring examples made in the reigns of George IV to Victoria (1821-1901).
Hastings silver leaves its native Norfolk
13 January 2020The sale at Cheffins (22.5% buyer’s premium) in Cambridge on December 12 included a cache of Victorian and earlier silver from the collection of Delaval Astley, 23rd Baron Hastings (b.1960).
Novelty silver pin cushions take flight
13 January 2020Pin cushions have their own niche market in the novelty silver field. Nineteen Edwardian examples were offered at a sale at Woolley & Wallis (25% buyer’s premium) in Salisbury last year.
Dresser’s genius brings happy returns
13 January 2020The Design sale at Christie’s New York (25/20% buyer’s premium) on December 13 included the return to the auction room of one of the famous series of electroplated teapots made by James Dixon & Sons, Sheffield, c.1879, to designs by Christopher Dresser.
The tale of the Warwick vase told in many sizes
13 January 2020Although turned down at the time by the British Museum, a 2nd century vase with Bacchic ornament found by Gavin Hamilton near Hadrian’s villa in Tivoli c.1771 proved a sensation with 18th century connoisseurs.
Norwegian silver brudekrone pays a visit to Canterbury
13 January 2020An atypical visitor to a recent sale at Canterbury Auction Galleries (24% buyer’s premium) was a Norwegian silver gilt brudekrone dating from the late 18th or early 19th century.
Youghal basting spoon draws interest in Salisbury
13 January 2020Alongside pieces made in Kinsale, Galway and Waterford, silver from the small County Cork town of Youghal is among the scarcest of all Irish provincial silver. Only a handful of pieces survive that carry the punning town mark of a yawl.
Gérard emerges out of the shadow of Fragonard
13 January 2020Only recently has the name Marguerite Gérard (1761-1837) re-emerged from the long shadow cast by her brother-in-law and tutor, Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806).
Versailles steps in for Sabine cast
13 January 2020Palace uses power of pre-emption to buy cast of Giambologna’s seminal sculpture at auction.
Cups from the Spetchley Park kunstkammer
13 January 2020Sotheby’s (25% buyer’s premium) sale of art and antiques from the Regency manor house Spetchley Park in Wychavon, Worcestershire, held in London on December 11, included a range of ‘kunstkammer’ objects amassed by the Berkeley family in the 19th century.
Candlesticks light up Bruges sale
13 January 2020This impressive and rare pair of silver table candlesticks with cluster columns, square bases and drip cups had no visible hallmarks but is probably Dutch and late 17th century in date.
Pugin’s christening gift draws strong interest
13 January 2020This small Gothic Revival beaker was made by ecclesiastical metal manufacturer John Hardman (Birmingham, 1848) at the height of the first partnership with AWN Pugin.
Silver coffee pots: a selection of hammer highlights
13 January 2020The typical Georgian silver coffee pot is one of the great bargains of 21st century antiques collecting.
Performing elephant silver novelty sells well above predictions
13 January 2020Victorian silver novelties do not come much better than this claret jug, formed as a 9in (23cm) tall kneeling elephant by James Barclay Hennell, London 1881. The hinged head (currently lacking tusks) forms the cover.
Poole Pottery vase, Omega Seamaster watch and James McCabe carriage clock – five auction highlights that caught bidders’ eyes in the last week
10 January 2020ATG’s selection of hammer highlights this week includes a Poole pottery vase that made 17-times estimate and a Victorian carriage clock by James McCabe that sold above predictions.